Organ-valve-action unit



May 8, 1928.

- G. E. LA MARCHE ORGAN VALVE ACTION UNIT Filed April '7, 1927 Patented May 8, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ORGAN-VALVE-ACTIQN UNIT.

Application filed April 7,

This invention relates to organ valve-action, and more particularly concerns the construction and arrangement of individually removable valve-action units.

An important object of the invent-ion is to provide a construction which will permit a series of such valve-action units to be compactly arranged and secured in conveniently accessible position; which will provide tor the simple and quick removal, inspection, and replacement or exchange of the individual units; and which will be equally well adapted for use in connection with differently designed and ditlerently scaled organ valve-chests.

Another important object is to provide a. simple and economical construction which may be manufactured by, or furnished to, organ builders in quantities and may be kept J in stock, ready for immediate installation or exchange; and which will be highly elticient in operation.

Furtl'ier objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the detailed description to follow.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a vertical, foreand-att sectional view of part of a pipe-organ valvechest, illustrating one method of employing the present invention in connection there with and showing the several valves in closed position;

Fig. 2 is a vertical, torc-and-att sectional view of a detached valvc-act1on unit, upon an enlarged scale, taken upon the line 22 of Fig. 3, showing the valves thereof in open position;

Fig. is a perspective vi w of a detached valve-action unit, illustrating; the method of sealing the sides thereof without adding materially to the width of the structure; and

Fig. l is a perspective view of several of the individually removable valve-action units mounted in operative position, illustinting the compact and conveniently accessible arrangement thereof.

As is well known in modern organ building, the individually removable and interchangeable unit features present many high 1y desirable advantages, not necessary to recite here, the principal and perhaps only objections thereto which have heretofore obtained being those of increased cost of manufacture and the additional space usually required. These objectionable features are entirely absent in the construction here pre- 1927. Serial No. 181,796.

sented. lllilldOOlD cuttings, which would be otherwise wasted, may here be employed to advantage, and the construction here provided permits the several units to be mounted in unusually close and compact order.

The method here disclosed 0t separately arranging and securing the individual units in position avoids the danger of inter-communicating leaks or runs, and facilitates the location and remedying of faults pertaining to the individual valve-actions of the difierent valve-chests. Various other advan willbe recognized by those conversant with the organ building art.

Referring to Figure 1, one end-portion of an organ valve-chest channel-board 1 is shown extending over two stop-chambers 22 and supporting the organ pipes 33 pertaining to said stop-chambers, respec tively. The stop-chambers extend transversely to the channel-board l and the several pipes representing the notes of each stop extend in rows over their respective stop-chambers and communicate therewith through corresponding ports, or pipe holes, H in the usual or any oesired manner. For convenience in illustration, but two stop-chambers and one pipe of each of the corresponding stops have been shown. A series of note-channels, such as the channel 5, are arranged parallel to each other, one for each note, in the channelboard 1 to extend over the several stopchambers, each note-channel passing at the side of the ports &4 of the pipes representing its respective note in the different stops.

Arranged within each stop-chamber 2 is a.

horizontally extending valve-shelf 6, and arranged along this valve-shelf is a series of pipe-valves, such as 7, there being one valve 7 for each pipe 3 or note of each stop. The particular construction of these pipe-valves 7 form the subject-matter of a co-pending application, Serial No. 159,120, filed January 5th, 1927, and will here be but briefly described. Each valve 7 comprises a stool-shaped body 8 having hollow communicating cup and stem portions, the t p of the cup-portion being covered by a flexible diaphragm Qwhich is secured about the rim of said cup-portion and carries upon its outer surface a centrally secured valve-disc 10, and the stem-portion being supported and secured in position upon the valve-shelf 6. each valve being arranged beneath and in axial. alignment with the respective port 4 which it controls. Valve-shelf 6 is provided with individual ducts llrwhich conmeet the hollow interior of each valve 7 with its corresponding note-channel 5. .The different stops of pipes 3 are brought into service by supplying the respective stopchambers 2 with air-pressure, or wind, and the individual operation ofthe valves? is controlled by the alternate release and admission of air-pressure in the corresponding note-channels 5. each diaphragm9ismaterially greater than that of the port a which it controls, so that, when air-pressure is released, through the respective note-channel 5 and duct 11, from the interior of the hollow body 8, the presence of air-pressure within a selected stopchamber 2 will forcethe diaphragmdown wardly, open the respectiveport and sound the correspondingpipe '3. Upon the re-admission of air-pressure to thenote-channel '5, diaphragm 9 will be placed in equilibthe valves 7 may be provided with an expansive coil spring (not here shown), located within thestool-shaped body 8 and act-mg outwardly upon the inner surface of the diaphragm 9. Either of suclrprovisions will permit the valves to be opened farther from their ports, the closing of the valves not being wholly dependent upon the draft of air through such ports. 7 1

' This invention more particularly concerns the construction and arrangement of the valve-action for controlling the admission and release of air-pressure to and from the notechannels ,5, such valve actionbeing in turn controlled In operation from the usual manual keys or, if the instrument be automatically controlled, from the well-known music-sheet-and-tracke1.' mechanism. Neither the manual keys nor the tracker mechanism are here shown, since they do not form a part of this invention and may be of conventional or any desired construction.

In the preferred arrangementhere illustrated, the several valve-action units 12 are suspended beneath the forward part of the valve-chest and are individually secured direct-1y upon the channel-board 1, but it is to be understood that they may be differently positioned without altering their operation or efficiency. With this present arrangement, each notecjhannel '5 opens outwardly The surface area of.

eeaete .tive note-channels 5, communicating with the air-pressure chamber 13 and providing a separate air-pressure supply-channel for each valve-action unit 12. Suitable packing n'iaterial 15, such as leather or sheet cork, is preferably cemented upon the upper surface of each unit 12, so that, when the unit is secured in position upon the channelboard 1, the air-passages therein will be held in air-tight communication with the corresponding note-channels 5 and supplychannels 14. Y

The valve-action units 12 are all similarly constructed and are preferably interchangeable; consequently, a description of one will serve for all. The frame-work of each unit 12 comprises a base-member 16 and a pair of ported strips 17 and 18 (Figs; 2 and3), spaced from each other and secured together at their end-parts by spacing blocks 19, 20, 21 and 22, to form a'flat rectangular structure. Preferably, these parts are provided with their several channels and ports before being assembled. hen the parts of the unit are assembled and secured together, the sides of the structure are properly trimmed and faced, the various interior elements are placed and adjusted in position, and the flat side faces of the unit are sealed by sheets of thin, flexible, air-tight n1aterial'23, such as paper or rubbencloth, so that the spaces formed between the parts 16, 17 and 18, become closed chambers 24 and 25.

Base-member 16 is formed with fore-andaft projectingslotted lugs 26 and 27 which extend beyond each end of the body of the unit and are each transfixed by a screw 28 for removably securing the unit in position upon the valve-chest. An inner chamber 29 is formed in base-member 16, as here shown, by three communicating, divergently extending, elliptical borings or channels 30, i

31 and 32 (Fig. Viewing the unit as shown in the drawings, channel 30' extends vertically to the upper horizontal surface of base-member 16 and constitutes an airpressure supply-channel, arranged to communicate with its respective supply-channel 14 when the unit is in its proper position upon the valve-chest. Channel 31 extends horizontally to the forward vertical surface of base-member 15 and provides a housing for an electro-magnet unit 33, to be later described, while channel 32 extends vertically to the lower horizontal surface of base-member 16 and constitutes an air-pressure supply-channel for middle diaphragmchamber 2st. A diaphragm-cell 3% ispro- W at formed in the unit by vided in the lower surface of base-member 16 and is preferably formed therein by a wide groove extending transversely thereacross. A vertically extending channel is a boring extending from the upper horizontal surface of basemember 16 rearwardly of channel 30, inner chamber 29 and middle chamber 2+1, and through spacing block 20 and strip 17, to meet and communicate with outer valvechamber Channel is arranged to communicate with the downwardly turned end of its respective note-channel 5 when the unit is properly positioned upon the valveehest. A duct 36 is bored in base-member 16, extending from the forward vertical surface thereof, just below the forward open end of channel 31, to diaphragm-cell 34. Vith respect to this part of the construction of the unit 12, it will be noted that the several elements thus far described may be conveniently milled separately and then as sembled and glued, or otherwise secured, together to form a single unit.

A flexible diaphragm 87, preferably of thin leather, is cemented, or otherwise secured, upon basemember 16 to completely cover and enclose diaphragm-cell the side edge-parts of said diaphragm being brought around and secured upon the sides of the base-member, as shown at (Fig. A comparatively thin, narrow strip 39. of

' suitable material, such as leather or wood,

is secured upon diaphragm 3'7, and the inner end-parts of a pair of'valve-stems at) and 41 are threaded into strip 39, so that vibration of the diaphragm will effect the reciprocation of said valve-stems. Valve-stems l0 and 4:1 pass through inner valve-ports 4-2 and 43 in strip 17, and through outer valveports 44 and 4-5 in strip 18, respectively, and their outer end-parts are guided by being passed through a guide-strip 46 which is secured upon the outer surface of strip 18. A valve 47 is carried upon valve-stem 40 between valve-ports a2 and ll, and a corresponding valve -18 is carried upon valve-stein all between valve-ports l?) and Valveports t and 13 connect outer valve-chamber with middle diaphragn'i-chamber H, and valve-ports 4i and 45 connect said outer valve-chamber with the atmosphere. Vibration of diaphragm 37 may thus effect the shifting of both valves 47 and 48 and thereby control the admission and release of airpressure to and from outer valve-chamber 25. "alves for control by a single, narrow, elongated diaphragm provides for the control of a considerable volume of air and, at the same time, permits the construction of the com plete unit to be made unusually narrow.

Vhen the parts-have been secured and adjusted to provide for their proper operation, as described, the opposite side faces of the This arrangement of valve-ports and unit are covered and sealed by cementing, or otherwise securing, the sheets of material 23 thereupon. It will be noted that this method of sealing the sides of the unit provides an air-tight and substantial closure which may. be removed and replaced with comparative ease and without dama ing the frame-work of the unit, providing for convenient'access to the interior of the struc ture and, at the same time, consitituting an importantfactor in producing a unit construction of minimum thickness or width.

The coi'istriwtion of the electro-ma'gnet unit herein shown does not. form a part of this invention and will be but briefly described. A metal base-plate 49 is removably secured in position upon the forward vertical surface oi"; the unit 12 by means of screws, one of which is snown at 50, covering the open ends of channel 31 and duct 36 and supporting the electroanagnet 51 in Channel 81. Bale-plate a9 is perforated with a port coi'nmunieating with channel 31, and with a port communicating with duct 36, and is provided with a pair of retaining hook-clips Zia-154i which are swiveled or threaded to turn therein. A channeled capplate 55 is removably held by hook-clips til-5 t upon the outer face of baseplatc 49, the channel therein extending over and connecting ports 52 and :33, housing and guiding an armature-valve 56, and carrying a hollow screw 57 which is threaded through the forward wall of said cap-plate and constitutes an adjustable valve-seat and atmosphere-portfor said arn'iatm'e-valve. Armature-valve 56 is positioned to play between and control port 52 and the port formed by hollow screw 57. Packing material (not shown) may be employed between base-plate 49 and cap-plate 55, and between said baseplate and the forward surface of the unit 12, to insure air-tightness.

The 0 r tion of tie snt' x lwi-a il pea 1 nt (tier 1 now be described. Assuming that the electro-maguets 51 for the several units 12 are individually connected in circuit with correspending key'controlled or tracker-con trolled (or both) switches. and that airpressure exists in both stop-chamliers and in chamber 13, the inoperative position of the several movable parts will be as shown in Figure l. Considering the operation of a single unit 12 as illustrative of all, the air-pressure .in chamber 13 will be communicated, through channel 14 and channels 30 and 32, to chambers and 24. and will be effective upon both sides of diaphragm 37, since the armaturewalve 5b of electromagnet unit 33 will be blown against the valve-seatformed by the inner end of hol low screw 57 to close this outlet-port, and diaphragm-cell 34 will be provided with airn'essnre through chamber 29, ports 52 and 53 (connected by the channeled cap-plate 55),

and through duct36. While diaphragm '37 thus remains'in equilibriiim,'valves 47 and '48 will be held blown against their respective outer valve-ports 44: and"4t5 and away from "their innerjvalve-ports 42 and 43, to

serve air-pressure to chamber 25 and thence to note-channel 5, through channel 35. The elfect of this'admiss'lon of a1rpre5sure to note-channel 5 upon the several pipe-valves 7 connected therewith has been described.

They will be closed and the respective notes or pipes 3 will be silent.

If, "now, the electro-magnet 51 be energized through the closing of the switch with which it is in circuit (i. e, by the operation of the respective manual key or the tracker mechanism heretofore mentioned) ,ar'maturevalve 56 will be attractedthereby away from the valve-seat formed'by'the innerend of hollow screw 57 to open this outlet'or atmos'phere port, and will close port 52 in base-plate'tQ, cutting off the supply of airpr'essure to diaphragm-cell 34C and'connecting it with the atmosphere. Diaphragm 37 being of substantially greater area than the combined areas of ports 42 and 43, and of ports 44 and 45, the air-pressure in chamber '24 will effect the operative'positioning of the parts as shown in Fig. 2, ralsing valves 47 before described.

I claim l. A valve-action unit of the character specified, comprising a flat rectangular frame formed of longitudinally parallel members and spacing members secured to and between the'enchparts of said parallel members to surround and define a-n'inner space. and a thin sheet of air-tight flexible material secured upon each opposite fiat 'face ofsaid f nine to completely enclose said inner space.

2. A valve-action unit of the character specified, comprising a flat rectangular structure formed ofa plurality of longitudinally parallel members and spacing members secured to and between the end-parts of each of said parallel members to surround and define a plurality of intervening spaces, and a thin sheet of air-tight flexible mate,- rial secured upon each opposite flat face of said'structure to completely enclose said intervening spaces.

3. :A j valve-action unit of the character specified, "comprising. a flat rectangular "name formed longitudinally parallel members and spacing members secured to and between theend-parts of said parallel members to surround and definean inner space, a chamber within one of said parallel members, a passage extending between said chamber and said inner space and a passage extending from said chamber and opening out upon an outer face of said frame, and a thin sheet of air-tight flexible material secured upon each opposite fiat face of said frame to completely enclose said inner space.

4. A valve-action unit of the character specified, comprising a flat rectangular structure formed of a plurality of longitudinally parallel members and spacing menr bers secured to and between the end-parts of each of said parallel members to surround and define aplurality of intervening spaces,

passages extending through certain of said members from one outer face of said structure to each of said intervening spaces, and a thin sheet of air-tight flexible material secured upon each opposite. fiat face of said structure to completely enclose said intervening spaces. i

5. A. valve-action unit of the. character specified, comprising a base-member and a plurality of members secured thereto and combining therewith to form a first chamber, an inner chamber anda diaphragm-cell formed in said base-member, a passage connecting said chambers, a diaphragm covermg said diaphragm-cell and forming a flexible wall between said diaphragm-cell and said first chamber, aduct extending from said diaphragm-cell to an outer face of said base-member, a channel extending from said i inner chamber and opening out upon said outer face of said base-member adjacent to the outer opening of said duct, and an electro-magnet housed within said channel and controlling theccommunication of said channel with said duct.

6. A valve-action unit of the character specified, comprising a base-member and a plurality of members secured thereto and combining therewith to form a first chamber, an inner chamber and a diaphragm-cell formed in said basemember, a passage con-' necting said chambers, a diaphragm cover ing said diaphragnrcelland forminga flex ible wall between said diaphragm-cell and said first chamber, a duct extending from said diaphragm cell to an outer face of said base-member, a channel extending from said inner chamberand opening out upon said outer face of said base-member adjacent to the outer opening of said duct and an electro-magnet unit comprising a valvechamber, an electro-magnet securedto said electro magnet unit, and an armature valve within said valve-chamber; said valve-chain} ber being secured upon "said outer face of said base-member to cover and connect the outer openings of said channel and said duct; .aid electro-magnet being housed within said channel; and said armaturevalve controlling the communication of said channel with said duct.

7.1-1 valve-action unitof the character specified, comprising a base-member and a plurality of members secured thereto and combining therewith to form a middle chamber and an outer chamber, an inner chamber and a diaphragnrcell formed in said base-member, a passage connecting said middle and inner chambers, a valve-port connecting said middle and outer chambers, a valve port connecting said outer chamber with the lltll'lOSPliQiQ, a diaphragm covering said diaphragm-cell and forming a flexible wall between said diaphragm-cell and said middle chamber, a valve within said outer chamber controlling each of said valveports, a connection between said diaphragm and said valve, a duct extending from said diaphragm-cell and opening out upon an outer surface of said base-member, a channel extending from said inner chamber and opening out upon said outer surface of said base-member adjacent to the outer opening of said duct, and valve-means secured upon said outer surface of said base-member operating to control the communication of said channel ith said duct.

8. A valve-action unit of the character specified, comprising a base-member and a plurality of members secured thereto and combining therewith to form a middle chamher and an outer chamber, an inner chamber and a. diaphragm-cell formed in said base-member, a passage connecting said middle and inner chambers, a plurality of valve-ports connecting said middle and outer chambers, a plurality of valve-ports connecting said outer chamber with the atmosphere, a diaph'agin covering said diaphragm-cell and forming a flexible wall between said diaphragm-cell and said middle chamber, a plurality of valves within said outer chamber each controlling two of said valve-ports, a connection between said diaphragm and each of said valves, a duct extending from said diaphragm-cell and opening out upon an outer surface of said basemember, a channel extending from said inner chamber and opening out upon said outer surface of said base-member adjacent to the outer opening of said duct, and valvemeans secured upon said outer surface of said base-member operating to control the communication of said channel with said duct.

9. A valve-action unit of the character specified, comprising a base-member and a plurality of members secured thereto and combining therewith to form a middle chamher and an outer chamber, an inner chamber and a diaphragm-cell formed in said basemember, a passage connecting said middle and inner chambers, a first channel extendingfrom said outer chamber and opening out upon a first outer surface of said basemember, a second channel extending from said inner chamber and also opening out upon said first outer surface of said basemember, a third channel extending from said inner chamber and opening out upon a second outer surface of said base-member, a duct extending from said diaphragm-cell and also opening out upon said second outer surface of said base-member adjacent to the outer opening of said third channel, a valveport connecting said middle and outer chambers, a valve-port connecting said outer chamber with the atmosphere, a diaphragm covering said diaphragm-cell and forming a. flexible wall between said diaphragm-cell and said middle chamber, a valve within said outer chamber controlling each of said valve ports, a connection between said diaphragm and said valve, and valvemeans secured upon said second outer surface of said base-member operating to control the communication of said third channel with said duct.

10. A valve-action unit of the character specified, comprising a fiat rectangular f 'ame formed of a longitudinally extending base-member and a plurality of members secured thereto and combining therewith to form middle and outer open-sided chambers, an inner chamber and a diaphragm-cell formed in said base-member, a passage connecting said middle and inner chambers, 21. valve-port connecting said middle and outer chambers, a valve-port connecting said outer chamber with the atmosphere, a diaphragm covering said diaphragm-cell and forming a flexible wall between said diaphragm-cell and said middle chamber, a valve within said outer chamber controlling each of said valve-ports, a connection between said diaphragm and said valve, a duct extending from said diaphragm-cell and opening out upon an outer surface of said base-member, a channel extending from said inner chamber and opening out upon said outer surface 'of said base-member adjacent to the outer opening of said duct, valve-means secured upon said outer surface of said base-member operating to control the communication of said channel with said duct, and a thin sheet of air-tight flexible material secured upon each opposite fiat face of said frame to close and seal the open sides of said middle and outer chambers.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed mv name this fourth day of April, A. D. 1927.

GEORGE E. LA MARCHE. 

